Posts Tagged “campaign”

As a creative guy, I love coming up with creative ways to market things. Nothing jazzes me more than to come up with an ad concept, a slogan, or a logo that will resonate with the public. But I’ve learned something about successful marketing over the years – repetition is the key to turning a great idea into effective marketing.

Repetition. Sounds simple. Just create your message, and repeat it, ad nauseum, until it works. Think of it as the marketers version of the Rinse, Lather, and Repeat instructions you find on shampoo bottles. Of course there’s more to it than that. If your message doesn’t resonate, it will get lost in the noise. But it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that if you don’t repeat your message enough, even the best marketing simply won’t work.

I can’t tell you how many clients I’ve had that either don’t commit to a big enough media buy, or they get bored with their spots and want to change them before it’s appropriate to do so. When you see a commercial enough to get bored with it, you’ve just witnessed marketing penetration. Everybody wants to run commercials or ads that get people talking, but successful marketing is not built on a momentary “buzz” (i.e.: “did you see that new ad for ________”), but on effective ads that are repeated over and over.

Another point that may have escaped your notice is that in life, everybody is a marketer. I’m dealing with a situation in my personal life right now that has brought that lesson home. Just like what the world learned in WWII, if you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes indistinguishable from the truth. Having the truth on your side is nice, but it’s no guarantee that you’ll prevail. No, I’ve learned that repetition of a marketing message can overcome the truth, even when I have the truth on my side.

I’d love to tell you that truth will win in the long run. I’d love to tell you that if you have a superior product, or a message that resonates, you’ll win. But while being right or building a better mousetrap is good and important, remember that it’s no guarantee of success. Without repetition as a key component of your marketing, you’re fighting a battle where you are, effectively, an unarmed combatant.

For the last few administrations, it’s been tres au courant for Presidents to declare themselves, “The __________ President.” For instance, President Bush had intended to be the “Education President.” Unfortunately for all of us, 9/11 happened and by necessity, he became the “War on Terror President.” That happens a lot. You don’t get to pick what you’ll be remembered for. I forget now what Bill Clinton wanted to be known as, but for evermore, he will be known as the “Intern Chaser President” or the “Sexual Predator President.” Ouch. I’m not a psychic (nor do I play one on TV), but I think I know how Obama will go down in history. I think he will become the “Marketing President., ”

If Ronald Reagan was the “Great Communicator” (and he was), I feel certain that Obama will go down in history as the “Great Persuader,” for it looks as if he will be the first President (and his, the first administration) to use marketing as a weapon, to get what they want.

If this doesn’t scare the Hell out of you, it should.

As a marketer, I realize the awesome power of persuasion, and the responsibility we have as marketers to do the right things for the right reasons. In retail marketing, the market itself has a tendency to correct any excesses. Go overboard with product claims, and you’ll see the public vote with their wallets — and you’ll be out of a job. Get caught lying, and your product will be shuffled off to the marketing equivalent of Siberia. But in political marketing, it’s pretty much an “all spin, all the time” kind of pursuit. I mean, what’s the difference in a “lie” and a “campaign promise?” Lies aren’t forgotten. Campaign promises are. So what happens if Obama and his posse continue to treat this as one big campaign? I’m afraid we’re in big trouble. I figured that, once Obama is sworn in, he’d have to produce actual results, as opposed to more smoke and mirrors. If they keep marketing to us, that may not be the case.

It will be interesting to see just how long this keeps up — and for how long it continues to work. But I’m afraid that, no matter how long it does, marketing will never be the same…and even worse, marketing will take the fall, when people realize that much of what they’ve been told is no more substantial than the smoke and mirrors of a Presidential campaign.

Here’s the thing…Christmas is a Christian Holiday. There. I’ve said it. 20 years ago, this wouldn’t have been an Earth-shaking admission. (Actually, 20 years ago, it would have been a “no, DUH!” moment.) Today, however, we’ve gone from the secular humanists/atheists/liberal left cabal attempting to get the 10 Commandments and manger displays off courthouse lawns to a direct assault on the meaning of Christmas (nee: “Christ Mass”) itself.

Color me disgusted.

You don’t see Christians trying to ban Halloween (which was a blending of a Wiccan festival and a Christian one – the word “Halloween” comes from “All Hallowed’s Eve” – the day before All Saints Day). You don’t see test tube babies protesting Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day. And you don’t see welfare recipients protesting Labor Day. (Although, I suspect now that I’ve mentioned it, it’s only a matter of time.) So why can’t the loony left leave our holidays alone? Read the rest of this entry »

After what seems like a decade of debates, centuries of commercials, and eons of excess, the day has come to vote, and put this madness to rest – for at least a few months. 

Thank God. 

No matter how the election turns out, I look forward to watching television broadcasts bereft of ads slinging mud, making unsubstantiated claims, and generally boring me to death. (Whoever came up with the idea for DVRs gets to jump the line into Heaven, in my book.) I can’t think of a more important election within my lifetime – or one that I’m more eager to see done and over. 

I voted over a week ago. I’m not alone…a staggering 46% of Texas Panhandle residents voted early. (By comparison, that’s close to the total number of ALL the people that voted in the last Presidential election – early voting, absentee voting, and regular voting combined.) 

The time for bending people’s ears about who’s the better candidate – and who will lead us down the road to destruction – is, mercifully, over. If you haven’t already voted, I encourage you to do so – no matter who you support. Voting is a precious right in America, and we should never take it for granted. Whoever is elected (fair and square, I hope and pray) faces some huge challenges – perhaps bigger challenges than any President in history will confront. I pray that God watches over this election and guides us all to vote for those who will put country before party, and what is right before ideology, working not as politicians, but as statesmen (and stateswomen) and servants of We the People. 

Now go vote and let’s get this thing over with, so the nation can begin to heal from this long, divisive campaign.